Oil spills, leaks, fires & explosions you may have missed

Underground oil pipeline spill

June 12, 2010: An underground pipeline, operated by Chevron, ruptured in the foothills of Salt Lake City, Utah, contaminating the Red Butte Creek with 33,600 gallons of crude oil. Two hundred birds were coated with oil.

Credit: AP/Matt Gillis

Oil-soaked turtle

July 26, 2010: A turtle soaked in crude oil is rescued after an underground pipeline carrying oil from Canada into the U.S. ruptured in Marshall, Michigan in the largest oil spill to ever hit the Midwest. An
estimated 819,000 to 1 million gallons of oil spilled. The oil traveled 30 miles saturating rivers, creeks, coating trees and residential yards; 5 acres of wetlands were destroyed; dozens of residents were forced out of their homes and some people got sick from the foul smell that filled the air.

Credit: Michigan DEQ

Tugboat hits wellhead, hazardous fluid released

July 27, 2010: Liquid gas, oil and other chemicals spewed 100 feet into the air uncontrollably from an abandon wellhead in Barataria Bay, Louisiana after being hit by a tugboat. At least 7,000 gallons of hazardous fluid were released into the Bay which is an ecologically sensitive area.

Credit: AP/Patrick Semansky

Malfunctioning well shoots oil 200 feet in the air

August 11, 2010: A well in Assumption Parish, Louisiana malfunctioned shooting 44,000 barrels of oil and other hazardous fluids nearly 200 feet into the air. The liquids spewed out for two weeks straight. Parts of two highways were shut down, seven homes and two businesses had to be evacuated, at least two-dozen people sought medical attention for nausea, dizziness and respiratory problems, and 500 to 1,000 acres of cane were destroyed.

Natural gas explosion kills one, injures 8

June 7, 2010: One man was killed and eight others were injured after a 36-inch natural gas pipeline exploded in North Texas. The
fireball could be seen for miles. Workers struck the pipeline while drilling holes to install power poles. The pipeline had not been properly marked for identification.

Credit: KTVT

Oil spill contaminates wildlife refuge

April 6, 2010: A pipeline burst causing a slick of oil to contaminate the Delta National Wildlife Refuge near Venice, Louisiana. Approximately 18,000 gallons of crude oil spilled.

Credit: U.S. Coast Guard

Fire forces workers overboard

Sept. 2, 2010: An oil platform operated by Mariner Energy caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico. The blaze forced 13 workers overboard. The workers were found huddled together, floating in protective suits about a mile from the platform.

Credit: KATC

Wyoming crude oil spill

October 13, 2010: Equipment failure caused a newly drilled oil well in rural Wyoming to spill 200 barrels of Niobrara sweet crude oil. High winds forced the oil to mist onto the surrounding pasture land. A resident spotted the incident from a private plane.

Credit: David Johnson

Methane gas leak in river

September 17, 2010: Six natural gas wells in Pennsylvania were found to have leaked dangerous methane gas contaminating drinking water and causing bubbling in the Susquehanna River.

Credit: Don Williams

Oil well explosion

July 9, 2010: A plume of thick black smoke filled the air in Clarke County, Mississippi after an oil well exploded. Highly toxic hydrogen sulfide leaked out causing nearby residents to be evacuated.